Automatic clutch



Oct. 16, 1928. l 1,687,587

' F. D. PEARNE ET AL AUTOMATIC CLUTCH Filed July 16, 1926 Patented Oct. 16, 1928. v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

FRANK D. PEABINE AND LAWRENCE E. GO'ISCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WIRE TRANSMITTING CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Annemarie cLU'rcrr.

Application filed July 16, 1926. Serial No. 122,914.

This invention relates to improvements in clutches. more especially for printing typewriter telegraphs and the like, wherein it is desired to release and rotate a member, such as the distributor wheel, by electrical means.

Heretofore the distributors in such mechanisms as printing telegraphs and the like, have been frictionally connected to a constantly rotating shaft. The distributor wheel was held from rotating by mechanical means such as a latch, and released by an electromagnet. This arrangement involved considerable friction at the connection between the driven member and the driving member were to be operated in synchronism, perfect uniformity in turning was u'nobtainable at high speeds.

The main objects of this invention are to provide means for simultaneously releasing and rotating remotely positioned distributor wheels one complete revolution in synchronism; to provide such means wherein the clutch is out of engagement while the shaft is being held from rotating; to provide means controlled directly by the holding latch for operating the clutch; to provide means for turning the shaft one revolutionwhich means may becontrolled by one impulse from the line circuit and also not again effected until the cycle has been completed.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagram of the arrangement of the mechanism for controlling :the distributor shaft of a telegraph device, operated from a line circuit.

Fi 2 is a plan section of the magnetic clutc of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective illustrative of the holding wheel and latch.

ln this invention a spur gear is meshed with a pinion on the distributor or operated shaft. The spur gear has a plain surface on one side and is provided with the locking recesses. A holding latch is pivotally mounted at one end and resiliently pressed into engagement with the side surface of the wheel to engage in the respective recesses. The recesses are suitably spaced so that the driven shaftturns one complete revolution each time the latch lever is released before the lever engages the next'recess. A magnetic clutch is provided for connecting the shaft to aconstantly driven motor, and the switch for energizing the clutch is controlled by the movement of the latch lever.

Referring to the drawings, the shaft 1 represents the distributor shaft which is rotatably mounted in each sending or receiving machine. The pinion 2 is fixed on the shaft and meshes with a spur gear 3 which is rotatably mounted on a lug 4 in the frame 5 of the machine. Preferably the gear 3 is made four times the size of the pinion 2, and accordingly four recesses 6 are provided in the lateral surface of the gear 3. The latch 7 is pivoted to the frame 5 at the outer end, and is provided with a lateral projection 8 at the inner end for riding on the surface of the gear 3 and engaging in the recesses 6. The latch is pressed into engagement with the gear by means of the spring 9, which is extended between the latch and a portion of the frame 5.

The armature 10 is secured to the latch in positional relation with the electro-magnet 11, which is rigidly secured to the frame 5 of themachine in any suitable manner. When the magnet- 11 is energized, the latch 7 is re tracted from engagement in the recesses 6 and the shaft 1 is permitted to rotate one complete revolution. The latch Will then engage the succeeding recess and again hold the shaft energizing coil 17 is mounted in an annular recess 18 provided in the inner surface of the drum 16, and the opposite terminals of the coil 17 are connected respectively to the conductor rings 19 which are insulatingly mounted on the periphery of the drum 16. Current is conveyed to rings 19 by means loo of the spring-pressed brushes 20 which are insulatingly mounted on the frame 1, and electrically connected, as hereinafter described. The clutch flange 21 is keyed to the shaft 1 adjacent the inner surface of the magnetic clutch drum 1-6, and is slidable on the shaft, so that when the coil 17 iseenergized the flange 21 is drawn into frictional engagement with the surface of the drum 16, and thereby connects the shaft with the driving motor. l A spring 22 is provided for separating the flange from the drum, and is mounted 1 n suitable recesses in said members,surround1ng the shaft 1.

For. controlling the clutch, a switch 23 is provided. This switch comprises two insulated spring arms which are normally out of contact and are rigidly mounted in positional relation to the lever 7. The lever 7 is provided with an insulating block 24 which contacts with one of the leaves of the switch 23 and causes the leaves to contact when the. latch 7 is out of engagement with a recess 6. The local battery 25 is connected to one side to the clutch coil 17, and the latch release magnet 11. The opposite terminal of the coil 17 is connected to the upper leaf of the switch 23, the opposite leaf of the switch being connected to the opposite side of the battery 25. The opposite terminal of the magnet 11 is connected through a cam operated switch 26, through a line operated switch 27, and back to the opposite terminal of the battery 25. The switch 26 is normally closed when the shaft is in starting position, and is o ened while the shaft is turning by means 0 a cam 28 which is revolvably connected to the shaft 1 by means of the miter gears 28-1.

When an impulse is received from the line 29, the switch 27 is closed. This completes a circuit from the battery 25 through the magnet 11, through the switch 26, and back to the battery. The magnet 11 is thereby energized and the end of the latch 7 is drawn out of engagementwith a recess 6 against the action of g the spring 9 and rides on the surface of the gear 3. The outward movement of the latch 7 closes the switch 23 and energizes the clutch coil 17 to connect the shaft 1 to the motor 12. The clutch remains energized because the latch is held out until the shaft completes one revolution, whereupon the spring 9 causes the latch 7 to engage in the succeeding recess 6 to stop the shaft and simultaneously break the circuit through the coil 17.

By the means just described, considerable.

the shaft is stopped. By breaking the circuit for the latch releasing magnet, the magnet is given time to de-energize so that the latch may engage quickly.

While but one illustrative embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departin from the spirit of this invention as defined y the following clainis. y

We claim:

1. In combination, a rotary drive member, a rotatable shaft, a magnetic clutch for connecting the shaft to said member, a latch related with the shaft and yieldably moved into holding engagement therewith at the termination of predetermined rotational movements ofthe same, an electromagnet for retracting the latch, a switch for said clutch closed by the latchwhen the latch is in its retracted position, a normally closed switch opened by the driven shaft in rotating, and a line relay switch connected in series with the last mentioned switch for energizing the electromagnet.

2. In combination with a rotary drive member, a rotatable shaft, and a ma netic clutch for connecting the shaft to sai member, a wheel connected to the shaft, said wheel having notches in one face thereof, a latch yieldably pressed against said face of the wheel to engage in said notches for holding the shaft, an electrical source, a clutch switch for connecting the source to the magnetic clutch, said clutch switch being closed by the latch when the latch is withdrawn from the notches, a latch magnet for retracting the latch, a line relay switch, and a normally closed latch magnet switch opened by the driven shaftin rotating, said line relay switch and latch magnetic switch being adapted to jointly connect said source to the latch magnet.

9Signed at Chicago this 14th day of July, 1 26. s

FRANK 1). PEARNE. LAWRENCE neorson. 

